Lubricating device for internal-combustion engines



Nov. 23 1926. 1,607,806

R. c. ALAND LUBRICATING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed sept. 1, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

R. c. ALAND 'LUBRICATING DEVICE FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Se t. 1. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

Plume 23, 1926.

lJNlTED STATES nxcnann c. Anlum, or nnrno1r, mcn1am, assrenon aroma-m1- 'ro Remain.

mrrnn, or nnmnorr; anemone;

' mmmea'r'me DEVICE FOR mrEnnAn-coususnon enemas l jqiplication and September 1, 1921. Serial No. 49am.

This invention relates to'lubricatingdevices for internalcombustion engines, and a particular object thereof is to provide a device preventing the thinning of the lubricat- .ing oil by the addition of lighter hydrocarbons utilized as fuel fortheengine. With the ordinary gasoline engine or engine ofv similar character utilizing the lighter hydrocarbons as a fuel more or less of-the fuel charge depending upon the tightness of the piston rings, finds its way into the lubricatmg oil in the crank caseof theengine reducing its lubricating quality. This invention seeks to provide means to remedy such defect and to not only prevent passa e of the portions of fuel charge between the piston and cylinder wall into the crank case but also to remove such waste fuel charge from between the piston and cylinder wall and reclaim the same. The volatile constituents are separated from the heavier lubricating oilxremoved therewith and are discharged to the intake manifold of the engine and the re fined lubricating oil is returned to the crank case for subsequent use. Various novel features of the invention, such for instance as the means of supplying the piston with a cooled lubricating oil, and a particular means in the structure of the piston whereby the lubricatingmil plus whatever volatile oils become mined therewith may be :removed from between the piston and cylinder walls and mechanism by means of which the piston may be intermittently provided with a fresh lubricating oil, are hereinafter more .tully described and claimed; These and various other features or the invention in the 7 preferred form of construction thereof are shown in the accompanying drawings in whichy Fig. 1 is an elevation showing my improved lubricating oil refining. device in its general relationship with an internal com-- bastion engine. in

the oil refining structure.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. t is a plan view partly in section showing the oil filter and valve controlling the flow of oil thereinto.

Fig. 5 is a similar view partly in section showing the valve structure for controlling the flow of exhaust gases into the refining device.

It 6 is detail in section of an oil dis- Fig. 2 is avertical' longitudinal section of.

tributor for delivering oil at intervals tuber tween the piston and'cylinder wall.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the showmg the oil groove v Fig; 8 is a side elevation of inder engine embodying the invention. I

The oil refining device is shown more particularl in Figs.- '2 to 5 and preferably is adapte to be mounted in any convenientplace, for instance on the engine side of the 5 cowl ofan automobile, by means of a'bracket' 1 extending about the body of the refiner device and having the outturned ends. '2 adapted for attachment to the cowl; The body of the oil refining'device consists of a 0 central casting 3 on the lower end of which may be attached a thin walled cup shaped member 4 providing an oil chamber. On the l ed l, upper end of the casting 3 is attached a-similar outer casing 5 and an inner casing-6 spaced therefrom and providing a chamber 7 into which the exhaust gases may pass through the inlet 8. which maybe connected with "the exhaust manifold of the engine by a conduit 9 as shown in Fig. 1. Within this 3 casing 6 isan open ended shell 8 which may be secured to the central casting 3 by a nut. on the central stem 10. The stem 10 is] threaded intothe upper side of the casting 3. and thenut forces the casing 8 tightly in.

; contact with the packing 11 between the bottom offthe shell 8 and the castingB. This shell 8 has an aperture 12 therein registering with an aperture 13 in the upper part of the casting 3 as shown in Fi 2. The walls of the casing 8 are outward y flared as shown in the said figure, and spaced from the wall of'the case 6 to provide a cylindrical chamber 14 between the substantially concentric walls of the casings 6 and 8 which is narrower at the upper end than at the bottom. The shell 8 is less in length than-the shell 6 and 'oil' that passes into the chamber 14 as hereinafter stated, may overflow from the chamber 14 into the interior of the shell 8 am and eventually. as hereinafter described, find its way through the aperture 13 in the casting .3 into the oil chamber formed by the casing: 4.

Uil' "to be refined passes into the chamber lei through a screen 15 shown in Figs. 3 and l which is preferably tubular in form and supported in a cylindrical chamber lfiformed in the side of the casting 3 as will be understood tram Figs. 3 and In Fig. 3 it will ml 8. multiple cyl be seen that oil passing into the interionof the screen may pass out through the side thereof and through an a erture 17 and upward into the refining c amber 14. This screen is held in place by a cap 18 as shown in Fig. 4 which engaged against the end of the screen member for holding it in position and also rovides a closure for the chamber 16 at sai end.

Oil is led into the screen 15 through an inlet conduit 19 to which a conduit 20 from the source of supply is to be connected for instance as shown in Fig.1. A valve 21 'is provided'in the conduit 19, which valve has a longitudinal bore as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4 which opens, by means of the aperture 22 through the side of the valve into the chamber 23 in which the valve 21 1s po-' sitioned. The valve is of the cone type having a pointed end 24 held away from its seat 25 by a coiled spring 26. The valve shown in Fig. 4 is in normal position and oil may flow freely through the valve and the conduit 27 into the end of the screen member and through the screen member and aperture 17 in the casting 3 into the chamber 14.

As hereinafter more fully described the oil is caused to flow through these conduits by reduction of pressure on the intake manifold of the engine and to prevent an excessive oil flow is the reason for the. provision of this valve member 21. On low speeds of the en gine or whenever an excessive vacuum is produced in the intake manifold, the valve 21will be drawn toward its seatrestricting, to a greater or less extent depending upon the extent of reduction of pressure in the intake manifold, the flow of oil through the refiner and prevents an extreme exhaust pressure bein applied to the space between the piston an cylinder of the engine which, as hereinafter shown, provides the source of supply for the line 20. p

I have so arrangedthe refiner device that it is automatic and intermittent in operationthat is, that the operation for a time draws the oil from the supply line 20 by a vacuum produced in the interior of the shells 6 and 8 by means of the reduction of .pres-' sure in the intake manifold of the engine and this oil is discharged into the casin 4 upon the level of the oil therein falling Twelow a. predetermined point at which time the interior of the shell 8 is emptiedof its contents raising a float in the casing 4 which closes the aperture 12. The closing of the aperture 12 again submits the chamber 14 to the reduced ressure of the intake manifold. The mec ianism for this purpose is shown more particularly in Fig. 2. The upper end of the stem 10 is hollow fora distance and by means of a channel 28 is open to the top of the chamber 14 and interior of the shell 8. It is to be noted that l have provided a cap 29 that is cup like in form at the upper end of themember 6 extending downwardly for a. short distance into the open end of the shell 8. This is in the nature of a bafiie to direct oil flowing upward in the chamber 14 over and downward into the shell 8 and revents the oilbeing passed in close proximity to the suction channel 28.

The opening for the conduit 28 is in the recess provided in the upper end of the easing 6 and'this recess is open to the chamber 14 and interior of the casing 8 by means of an a erture 30 in the said member 29. The con uit 28 isin communication with the intake manifold of the engine by means of a pipe line 31 as shown in Fig. 1, the intake manifold being indicated at 33.

In order for partial vacuum to be propivoted to a bracket 35provided on the casting 3. To this bar 34 is pivotally secured a link 36 which at the'opposite end is ivotally secured to a lever 37. The lever 3 is pivoted to a depending lug 38 supported in the casting 3. There is also another lever 39 pivoted to the lug 38 and the ends of these two levers are connected together by a coiled spring 40. This spring,. in the position shown in the part Fig. 2, tends to hold the levers with the ends below the pivot point. The end of the lever 39 is connected with the stem of a valve 41 which is "adapted to seat against the aperture 42 in the casting 3, which aperture'is' open to atmosphere by means of a channel or conduit 43. When the lever 39 and valve 41 are in the position shown the aperture 42 is closed to atmosphere. Upening the valve opens the chamber in the casing 4 to atmosphere and this would permit oilto flow out of the chamber 4 through the outlet channel 44 in the bottom thereof. On this lever 39 is a second valve 45 that controls the lower end of a tube 46 supported in the casting 3 and extending upward and terminating well above any possible oil level in the casing 8, and it is to be loo lli'i lIiU the two chambers is equalized and-the oil may flowdownward by-gravity; An reduced pressure produced in the chain er 4 by the opening of the tube46 and aperture ing downward into the discharge line. As thechamber'in the casing 4 fills under thiscondition with oil from the chamber 8, the

float 33 raises which, by means of the lever 34 and link 36 raises the lever 37 and when the outer end of the lever 37, to which the spring 40 is connected, has been raised to a point where the spring is above the pivot point of the levers 37 and 39, the spring will raise the lever 39 openingthe valve 41 and closingthe valve 45. 'At this same time the aperture 13 is closed by the flap valve carried on the end of a pivoted lever 90 and adapted to seat against the opening 13 by upward movement of the lever 37 on which the flap valve rests. In this position of the parts, the oil in chamber 4 may flow by gravity through the line 44 and 47 into the.

crank case and'the chamber in the shell 8 v and the chamber 14 are submitted to reduced pressure of the intake manifold. The structure described by reason of the chamber 7 being open to the exhaust manifold heats the oil in the chambers 14 and 8 and vaporizer; the volatile constituents that may be therein which are drawn to the intake manifold and the refined: lubricating oil'is returned to the crank case.

Preferably this refiner device is used to take'the oil from the space between the piston and wall of the cylinder in which it operates. This arrangement is shown particularly in Fig. l, the line (which is the intake line for the refiner) opens directly through the cylinder wall as shown and the piston 51 is provided, with a skirt 52 on one side which covers the portin the position of the parts shown in Fig. 1. llhis piston is provided with grooves 53 for the usualpiston rings at the top and bottom and is also providedwith a circumferential oil groove 54 and a longitudinal groove 55. When the piston moves downward from the position shown in Fig. 1 this groove 55 comes opposite the opening of the line 20 and oil in the, grooves 54 and '55 is withdrawn under the reduced pressure in the oil refiner heretofore described and is there refined. This remoral-o1"- the oil from the grooves removes any gasoline or hydrocarbon fuel that has passed downward from the combustion chamber between the piston and cylinder wall, and it have preferably arranged the mechanism to supply oil to the grooves on thegoom ression stroke of the piston. This s once theparticular features of this invention.- It is, on the compression stroke that fuel oilisapt to be discharged down between the piston and cylinder wall and, by providingthecmeansfor supplying lubricating oil to the'pistonat this period, the oil not only assists in'sealing the piston but also with the groove full of oil the fuel oil is always taken fromthis, sump; -This To sup M pump may be operated a vertical shaft 58 actuated. by a worm 59'from a similar worm on the cam shaft 60 of the engine. Rotation of the shaft 58 rotates the gears of the pump which takesoil from the sump and discharges it through a line 61 to'a dis tributor 62 and from the distributor by means of a pipe 63 through the wall of'the cylinder at 64. The oil'groove 54, when the piston is in its lowermost position, is in alignment with the aperture 64 and the distributor at this instance has opened the line 63 to a flow of oil which floods the grooves 54'and 55. The distributor is utilized to intermittently furnish oil to the grooves and consists, as shown in Fig. 6, of

an apertured plate 65 in a casing 66. The

plate is on the" rotating pump shaft 58 and the lower side of the casing is open to the line 61 and is also recessed as shown at 67 to which the aperture-68 of the plate is continually open. In the case of a single cylinder engine only one outlet pipe 63 is pro-- vided for the distributor so that once during each revolution of the distributor plate 65, theline 63 is opened to the supply line 61.

It is to be noted that the shaft 58 is. geared to rotate at one-half crank shaft speed for a four-cycle type of single cylinder engine and this is timed to bring the lines 61 and 63 into communication at the beginning of the compression stroke. With the two-cycle type of engine the speed of the distributor would be more rapid, a feature of the device being to discharge oil to the piston grooves on each compression stroke in any type of.

engine in which this device is adapted to be utilized; With a multiple cylinder engine ill-ll additional lines for instance as indicated at that on each compression stroke of each pislitl tlii

ton it is provided-with a supply'of oil. It is thus to be seen that this device is automatic in operation preventing dilution of the lubricating oil in the crank case by the continued removal ofboth the fuel and lubricated oil from between the piston and cylinder. Itis also to be noted that the oil groove 54 and 55 are below the upper rings of the iston preventing the line 20 from having ree opening to the combustion chamber of the cylinder.

A further desired feature of this invention is involved, in the means for discharging cooled oil to the piston grooves. This is accomplished by inserting a cooler 95 in the discharge line 47 for the refiner. This may be of any approved type and is here shown as a series of tubes extending between the two heads 71 and 72, which tubes are provided with fins to radiate the heat of the oil passing therethrough. From the cooler the oil is discharged by means of the line 47 into the sump as shown in Fig. 1. This sump being a separate chamber from the crank case proper and the oil pump 56 being located in the sump, cooled oil is discharged to the piston and assists in reducing the temperature ot the cylinder and piston. In order that the sump may never have all the oil discharged therefrom, l have pr0- vided an aperture indicated by the dotted, lines 73in Fig. '1 in the wall 57 between the sump and crank case proper. lhis is normally covered by a valve plate "M carried on the end of the lever 75 pivotally supported on the Wall 76 of the sump. This lever is provided with a float 77 which closes the aperture Z3 when raised to a certain level separating the sump from the remainder of the'cranlr case. As the engine operates and begins to use u the oil in the sump the oillevel falls allowing the float to fall and open the aperture 73 which permits oil from the crank case to flow into the sump. This is merely a precautionary device to insure oil being in the sump at all times and lree the pump immersed. Normally the port 3 is closed.

The piston 51, as heretofore stated, is provided with a skirt 52 dependin from the lower edge thereof on the side 0 the cylinder through which the pipeline 20 opens and this shirt prevents the opening of the pipe line 20 to the interior of the cylinder and crank case. In the instance oliyuse of this device here shown there is no means provided on the piston for closing the aperture of the oil line 63 in the wall of the cylinder for the reason that a distributor device is provided which is necessary if oil is to be provided at stated intervals to the piston and is preferably used for such purpose and for use in conjunction with multicylinder engines. In the event of desiring to dispense with the distributor device a skirt could be provided on the piston similar .is on its up stroke.

It is furtherv found desirable to provide some means of preventing an overheating oi the refiner device by the exhaust gases and for this purpose I have provided a thermostatica ly controlled valve indicated at 8*!) in Fig. 5 adjacent the intake for the exhaust gases into the chamber 7. This valve device is attached to a bimetallic element til of curved form extending for a distance around the wall of the case 6 and held in place by a log 82 at one end and a similar lug 83 at the other end. On an excess of heat passing through the channel 9 for the exhaust gases the bimetallic element 81 will expand moving the valve 80 more or less closely against the inlet aperture for the exhaust gases and restricting the volume of flow of exhaust gases thru the chamber. The gases pass out of the chamber through an aperture 84- provided on the side of the chamber 7 opposite the inlet aperture.

It is also to be noted that the screen 15 is of value in maintaining the lubricating oil in a substantially pure state inasmuch as it serves to-filter out all free carbon and other solids that may find their Wa into the oil channel of the piston. The oi is therefore upon removal first filtered, then refined by a heat treatment, then cooled, and finally returned to the crank case or sump tor the pump.

Having thus fully described my invention, what ll claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States isl. A. lubricating device for a multiple cyl-- lnder type of internal combustion enginecomprising in combination with the several spective piston registers during" the piston movement, a chamber into which the oil withdrawn by said suction means discharged, means for heating the chamber to vaporize the volatile oils, and means in the chamber for dischargingthe oil when refined to the said supply source." 7

2. The combination with a cylinder, pie ton, and'crank case, of an internal cornbu tion engine, a division wall in said crank case providing a separate chamber, said well too having an aperture, a float-device in-the chamber adapted to close the aperture when the oil is at a certain level, a pump in the said chamber, a conduit leading from the pump and discharging through the cylinder wall, the piston having an oil receiving groove or channel, an oil refining device subjected to the reduced pressure of the intake manifold of the engine, a conduit leading from the refiner device to and opening through the cylinder well, said reduced pressure of the refiner removing the oil from the groove when in registration with the said aperture, means for heating the refiner by the exhaust gases of the engine to vaporize the volatile oils, and means for dischar 'ng the refined lubricating oil from the re er to the said chamber in the crank case.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification.

RICHARD G. ALAND. 

